TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Bob McGrath, one of the original cast members of Sesame Street, has died at age 90.
News of his death was shared in a Facebook post Sunday evening, saying he died peacefully at his home surrounded by his family.
McGrath joined Sesame Street as a founding cast member in 1969, playing the character of Bob Johnson. He would remain part of the cast for several decades before his retirement in 2016.
Sesame Workshop shared a touching tribute to McGrath on Facebook, mourning the loss of the man who played the show’s longest-running human character.
“Bob embodied the melodies of Sesame Street like no one else, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of children around the world, whether teaching them the ABCs, the people in their neighborhood, or the simple joy of feeling music in their hearts,” Sesame Workshop wrote.
McGrath was also an accomplished singer and musician whose “rich tenor filled airwaves and concert halls from Las Vegas to Saskatchewan to Tokyo many times over.” He is credited with writing some of Sesame Street’s most famous songs.